The invention relates to a watering apparatus comprising a storage container having a tubular section, which is closed with an open-cell foam based on an aminoplast, and a method for watering or applying fertilizer.
Open-cell foams based on a melamine/formaldehyde condensate are known for various heat- and sound-insulating applications in buildings and vehicles and as insulating and impact-absorbing packaging material.
German Utility Model G 94 02 159.7 U1 discloses a soil conditioner which comprises peat and an open-cell melamine/formaldehyde foam in the form of flakes, it also being possible to add plant soil, flower soil or grave soil. The soil conditioner is flowable and is introduced into the soil.
Plants which are present in flower pots or plant containers have to be watered more frequently than those which are directly in the ground (e.g. in flowerbeds) since the amount of soil in the pot is limited. Lawn plants and certain other garden plants, too, are sensitive to dryness and have to be watered frequently. The water storage capacity of said soil conditioner is not always satisfactory in these applications.
German Utility Model DE 20 2005 018 041 U1 therefore proposes water-storing webs which are in contact with plant soil or earth and comprise an open-cell melamine-formaldehyde foam.
For watering during long absence, indoor plants can be placed in a large tray on a watering mat and can be supplied with water using a hand towel which hangs over the edge into a second tray filled with water.
It is also known that empty water bottles or wine bottles can be used as watering aids. For this purpose, a bottle filled with water is inserted upside down into the earth. The plant extracts the required water from the bottle by the suction effect. By means of a watering sphere and a terracotta rod, the plants are also well supplied during long absence. The water seeps slowly and there is no need for the plants to dry out. The terracotta rod always releases exactly the required amount of water to the soil. However, clay candles are not suitable for applying nutrient solutions.
Watering aids based on hollow plastic cones which are screwed onto bottles and permit an exchange of liquid and gas via at least two holes are known and are available as commercial products. However, these systems are not self-regulating to the desired degree. If the known systems are removed from the substrate, water continues to run out and handling is difficult.